Feeding mechanism for can-body blanks.



F. F. CLARK.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CAN BODY BLANKS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 19!].

Patented Aug. 7

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\VITNESSES:

Eefdf F. F. CLARK.

FEEDING MECHANISM FOR CAN BODY BLANKS.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. I8. 19H.

Patented Aug. 7, 1917.

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INVENTOR Ewdzzd ,F. 01 air/g,

FBEDRICK IE. CLARK,

F ALAMEDA, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T0 ALASKA PACKERS FEEDING: MECHANISM FOR GAIN-BODY BLANKS.

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To all whom a'tmay concern:

Be it known that l, FREDRICK F. CLARK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Alameda, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism for Can-Body Blanks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a feeding mechanism for blanks used in forming can bodies;

and has for its object to provide a positive and certain feed that will insurethe removal of a single blank from a stack of such on each actuation and deliver the same to a can forming machine, and also to increase the capacity of such feeding mechanisms.

Included in the feeding mechanism is a hopper for the body blanks adjustable to accommodate various sizes of blanks and reciprocatingmeans passing beneath the same and providedwith knife edge'devlces to segregate a single blank from the bottom of the stack upon each actuation and dellver the same to a can body forming machine.

One form which my invention may assume is exemplified in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 shows a vertical, longitudinal, central, sectional view of the feeding mechanism.

Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of same. Fig. 3 shows a plan view. In the'drawings, a portion of a frame A.

- of a can-forming machine is shown, to which is attached my improved feeding mechanism. This mechanism comprises a pair of transverse bars forming the sides of a hopper and slidably mounted upon side bars 11 of the frame A for adjustment toward and from each other. fhe outer one of the transverse bars 10 is fitted with a plurality of vertical carrying bar-s12, having inwardly turned lower ends 13 to receive and support a stack of body sition, spaced slightly above a base-plate 15, which latter is secured to the main frame A. The carrying bars 12 are adjustably supported upon the transverse bar 10 by means Specification of Letters Eatent.

blanks 14 in horizontal poyatente-d Au 2, 191%.

Application filed January 18, 1917. serial No. 142,998.

of a thumb screw 16 coiiperating with the upper edge of the transverse bar and a plurality of clamping screws 17 screwed into the intermediate portion of the carrying bars and working in vertical slots 18.

The inner transverse bar 10 carries two vertical gage bars 19 adjustable in the same manner as the carrying bars 12. Coiiperating with the lower ends of the gage bars are bolts 20 adjustable in the base-plate 15 and arranged to have their heads support the stack of blanks on a level with the bent ends 13 of the carrying bars. By adjustin the gage bars 19 the space between their ower ends and the bolt headsmay be varied to permit the passage of blanks of difierent thicknesses. The lower ends of the gage bars are preferably beveled rearwardly and upwardly to overcome friction in the passage of blanks from the hopper.

Arranged below the transverse bars 10 and between the carrying and gage bars are reciprocating bars 21 carried in grooves formed in the base-plate 14:. Each of the bars 21 has a separating dog 22 pivoted in a slot 23 in the bar at the outer end thereof. lhe nose of the dog is beveled upwardly and rearwardly and the upper edge carries a knife edge plate 24 forming a pointed shoulder to enter between the two lowermost blanks in the hopper and thrust the bottom one forwardly. An adjustable spring 26 is employed for retaining each dog in proper position to engage between the two bottom blanks.

Upon each bar 21, spaced ahead of the separating dogs, is one or more advancin 1 dogs 27 which engage the separated blan and advance it step by step to the forming machine. An adjustable guide bar 28 is arranged in front of the hopper to direct the blanks, said guide bar being carried upon a shelf plate 29 secured to the lower edge of the adjacent bar 10. The forming machine has an upturned guide bar 30 to receive the blanks.

Forming the ends of the hopper are angle bars 31, supported 11 on the base-plate 15., and adjustable latera 1y thereon, by means of set screws working in slots 32 formed in the base plate. These angle bars have each an upwardly projecting arm 33 terminating near. the upper ends of the bars 10.

In the operation of the device the blanks are stacked into the hopper and the bars 21 are reciprocated by suitable operating mechanism not shown. The separating dogs 22, by means of the knife edge plates 24, act to segregate the lowermost blank and remove it from the hopper, thrusting it through the space between the bolts 20 and gage bars 19. Upon subsequent aetuations of the reciprocating bars the dogs 27 advance the removed blank in successive steps to the forming machine. The hopper is adjustable as to width and length so as to accommodate a variety of sizes of blanks, and the carrying and gage bars are adjustable vertically to provide for feeding blanks of different thicknesses.

The herein described device is simple and easy to construct and can be readily attached to any forming machine. It is reliable and positive in its operation and insures the feeding of a single blank at each actuation. In actual practice, I find that the recipro eating bars can be actuated at a sufliciently high speed to feed two hundred blanks per minute.

Various changes in the construction and arrangements of the several parts herein shown and described may be employed without departing from the spirit of my invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a feeding mechanism for can body blanks, a hopper, means to feed blanks singly from the hopper bottom, a support located above the path of feed of the blanks and connected to and arranged exteriorly of the hopper, horizontal guide means located below the support to guide the blanks, and means connected to the guide means and to said support and accessible from above the latter to adjust the guide means to blanks of varying thickness.

In a feeding mechanism for can body blanks, a hopper, means to feed blanks singly from the hopper bottom, side guides for the blanks, top guide means for the blanks, said top guide means being horizontally disposed and located intermediate the side guides and spaced from the latter, and means to vertically adjust the top guide to accommodate blanks of varying thicknesses.

3. In a feeding mechanism for can body blanks, a hopper comprising vertical carrying bars at the outer side with bent lower ends to support one edge of a stack of blanks in a horizontal position, turnable studs beneath the hopper having rounded upper ends to support the opposite edge of the stack, and reciprocating devices passing between said carrying bars and studs be- 'neath .the hopper to separate the lowermost blank and remove it from the hopper.

4:. In a feeding mechanism for can body blanks, a hopper comprising vertical carrying bars at the'outer side with bent lower ends to support One edge of a stack of blanks in a horizontal position, studs beneath the hopper to support the opposite edge'of the stack, reciprocating devices passing between said carrying bars and studs beneath the hopper to separate the lowermost blank and remove it from the hopper, and gage means on the side of the hopper opposite to the earrying bars to prevent the passage of more than one blank upon each actuation of the reciprocating devices.

5. In a blank feeding mechanism, L-shiaped members spaced apart to provide guides for the bottoms and ends of the blanks, arms projecting upwardly from said members-to form ends for a hopper, transverse bars forming the hopper sides extending across said members on opposite sides of the arms, vertical carrying bars carried by one of said transverse bars and having inturned lower ends forming bottom supports for one side of the blanks, gage bars carried by the other of said transverse bars, vertically adjustable means forming bottom supports for the opposite sides of the blanks, and feeding means operating between the carrying and gage bars and between the L-shaped guide members.

6. In a blank feeding device, a hopper, vertical carrying bars on one side of the hopper having inturned lower ends on which the blanks are supported at one side of the latter, turnable studs having rounded upper ends on which the blanks are supported at their opposite sides, ating between the bars and studs.

7. In a feeding mechanism .for can blanks, a hopper, means in the hopper to support one side of the blanks, gage bars in the hopper engaging the opposite sides of the blanks, studs having rounded tops arranged below and alined with the lower ends of the gage bars and forming blank outlets in. conjunction therewith, means whereby to adjust the outlet for blanks of different thicknesses, and means to feed the blanks through said outlet.

8. In a blank feeding mechanism ,a bed, adjustable angle-bars on the bed forming end guides for blanks, transverse bars extending across and having parts extending below the and feeding means oper-' tops of the angle-bars and forming sides for side of the blanks from one of said trans- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set verse bars, gage bars on the other transverse my hand in the presence of two subscribing bar to engage the other side of the blanks, Witnesses.

means cooperating With the gage bars to FRED. F. CLARK.

' form an adjustable outlet for the hopper, Witnesses:

and means to separate the blanks and move JOHN H. HERRING, same out of said outlet. W. W. HEALEY. 

